drivetrain tuning

[Slimpee]

I tinkered w/ the drivetrain on my bike the other day and after setting the limit and b screws to what i thought were the right settings I now can't shift into the highest gear (smallest, outermost sprocket). I simply run out of clicks on the shifter so I suspect I accidentally had the shifter in the wrong position when I tightened down the cable.

My question is how to initially set up the cable. By that I mean do I set the shifter to the lowest gear (innermost sprocket) and then pull the cable as tight as I can before bolting it down? Or, is it best to do the same in the highest gear?

Edit: The drivetrain is 7 sp. Suntour XCD w/ XC Comp top-mount shifters. It's not "rapid-rise"

[Gingerdawg]

Is the cable loose when it's in the outer sprocket? If so, then the limit screw needs further adjustment.
Park Tools has a great resource;

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=64

[Slimpee]

Is the cable loose when it's in the outer sprocket? If so, then the limit screw needs further adjustment.
Park Tools has a great resource;

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=64

Haha, yeah, I use that site all the time.

I'm not sure if i follow the connection between loose cable and limit screw. I thought the limit screw's function is to limit the amount of travel the deraileur can make at the end of it's travel so as to prevent chainsuck/shifting into the spokes.

[berrywise]

Haha, yeah, I use that site all the time.

I'm not sure if i follow the connection between loose cable and limit screw. I thought the limit screw's function is to limit the amount of travel the deraileur can make at the end of it's travel so as to prevent chainsuck/shifting into the spokes.

While pedaling push on the derailleur with your hand to move it into the easiest gear in the back. If you can't push it far enough then you need to back out the limit screw. If you can push it all the way up there then most likely your cable was to loose to begin with.

[berrywise]

And based on the time stamps what is Morc chop liver? :crazy:

[Slimpee]

I'm going to check the limit screws this evening although i'm still thinking I had the shifter in the wrong position to begin with so i'm running out of "clicks". That's why I asked about initial cable/shifter setup before any other tuning is done.

[wokerhopper]

Start with the shifter in the highest number and the derailleur in the smallest cog, pull the cable tight with your hand and tighten it in the pinch bolt. This will be the initial set up and then if you can't shift into the largest cog you will need to adjust the L limit screw.